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Jay
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•ON THE GREEN•
Article Four
BACK TO BASICS: Balance is the Key

So many times as golfers we tend to work on all the things we are supposed to do before we hit the ball. Even as an instructor you can get caught up into working on things that should happen before someone hits the ball. All too often the natural tendency is to think that it is an error that is occurring in the swing before impact. This is not necessarily where the problem is occurring however.

One of the aspects I'm starting to focus on with students is the balanced finish position. When you can finish your golf swing with balance and control it let's a player know that several things have occurred that are correct in the swing. First, that you swung the club under control and within your own personal strength. All too often when the swing is performed outside of your ability to control the speed you will not be able to control the followthrough or hold a balanced finish position.

Secondly, the finish position is the tell tale story that you have done things right in your swing. For example, if you have done things right before the full finish position is reached the momentum of your swing should take you to this point without a whole lot of effort. The full finish should have your belt buckle facing to the left of the target (for right handers),the hips and shoulders completely rotated with the shoulders fairly level at this point and the club shaft matching the plane of your shoulders, your head should be up looking at your target and your left leg straight with most of your weight predominantly on the left foot and your right foot up on it's toe. When you can hold the finish and maintain good balance it's a good sign that a lot of good things happened during the swing to get you to that point.

One of the things I also tell students is to practice the finish position on all practice swings whether hitting balls or not. If you keep sensing what a good finish should feel like then it is easier to back into the correct swing. Again, the followthrough and finish are often overlooked as a means of determining the quality of our swing motion; instead we just move on to the next ball and don't give it a second thought.

If you start practicing the correct full finish position even inside your home (watch out for lamps) or in the back yard preferably with a weighted club (watch out for the dog) you will find some sensations you probably are not familiar with. Make sure you follow the correct guidelines for the proper finish or look at a tour players finish and copy it and you will find achieving consistency in this part of the swing easier. If you use a weighted club or swing several clubs make sure you swing them smoothly and very easy almost in slow motion. This will keep you from getting hurt and will train your swing to move in the proper sequence to help you achieve a balanced finish position. Hold the finish for the count of five and repeat several times. If you do this over a period of three to four weeks it should engrain itself in your swing routine and help your entire swing motion.

If you have any questions regarding this tip or others that will appear in the future please feel free to e-mail me Jay Perkins at jperkins@pga.com.  I will be happy to share with you any thought or ideas I have on the swing or your game. Good luck and thanks for visiting us at belairgolfcenter.com. Stay balanced and have fun!

Harford County resident Jay Perkins is the PGA Professional at Bel Air Golf Center in Kingsville. Read more about Jay Perkins.

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